The FRWA office will be closed on Tuesday, December 31 to celebrate the New Year. In the event of an emergency, you may contact us at
frwa@frwa.net.

2018 in Review

Looking back on 2018, FRWA had a year filled with hope, tragedy, and anticipation. The year started off with the office in Tallahassee being blanketed in snow. Of course, it was short lived but it gave us the feeling that miracles can still happen.

For the twenty-eighth year, the Florida Rural Water Association partnered with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to present the 2018 Focus on Change Seminar series. Focus on Change has proven to be one of our most popular seminars. This year over 1400 attendees were on hand to learn firsthand from DEP about the new regulations for 2018. I am sure that many of those that attended were glad they were aware of some of the new stipulations that they learned at Focus on Change.

In February The FRWA Board of Directors traveled to Washington DC to attend the National Rural Water Association Rural Water Rally. The Rally provides an opportunity for supporters of our industry to make their case directly to their elected officials. Florida Rural Water scheduled meetings with Representatives, Senators and their staff, so that they can share the Rural Water success story, answer questions and build important relationships. more

National News

New Farm Bill is now law and Congress Agrees - Local Decisions are best The 2018 Farm Bill, also referred to as the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, passed with overwhelming bipartisan and bicameral support. Congress recognized that local decision making for community water supplies is a necessary ingredient in determining their future. more

Rural Water Policy Advisory [12/24/2018] Rural Water's Power of an Association 2018 Retrospective Each year, the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) and state rural water associations mobilize volunteer representatives from across the country to petition the federal government and Congress to support federal funding and policies that are most beneficial for small and rural communities. This is our strength. more

New Resilience Resources from EPA EPA's Water Security Division has shared multiple opportunities to improve resilience including a webinar, guidance document, and a new product. more

State News

Early forecast for 2019 hurricane season is out An early outlook for the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season offers hope the atmosphere will take a break following two frenetic years of tropical cyclone activity but notes that Mother Nature is giving no clear signal of her intent. The December outlook does not predict the number of storms but forecasts the amount of accumulated cyclone energy, or ACE, for the season. moreUnder consent order, Tallahassee learning to better manage, clean up sewage spill | Tallahassee Democrat Over the last 10 years, Tallahassee's wastewater system has spilled close to 11 million gallons of raw, untreated sewage into streets, culverts, ditches, ponds and parking lots, despite a consent order with the state outlining corrective action. more

Tallahassee breaks December rainfall record - and it isn't over yet | Tallahassee Democrat This December is Tallahassee's rainiest on record - and there's more to come, forecasts say. more

Report: 3 Florida cities responsible for wastewater spills | Associated Press Three Florida cities have spilled almost 1 million gallons (3.8 million liters) of wastewater in recent days. more

Water quality, management are top environmental issues for Southwest Florida in 2019 | Naples Daily News This past year has been challenging on the enviornmental front, with toxic algae blooms suffocating the Caloosahatchee River and coastal Gulf of Mexico. more

Untreated sewage spills into Sarasota Bay, city officials say | WTSP Nothing ruins a day on the water quite like untreated sewage. more

December 24, 1896: Engineering Newsarticle-A Large Direct-Driven Centrifugal Pump. "We illustrate herewith a centrifugal sewage pump designed and built for the city of Norfolk, Va., by the Morris Machine Works, Baldwinsville, N. Y. The pump has 20-in. suction and 18-in. discharge, the latter connected to a 20-ln. piping. The actual head worked against Is 26 ft., but when the pump is driven to Its maximum capacity, discharging about 9,000 gallons of water per minute and forcing It through the discharge pipe, which is 1,600 ft. long, the total head pumped against Is equivalent to about 5 ft.... more

For more articles on what went on this week in water history, click
here.